Portable fence



1 J. EASTWOOD.

PORTABLE FENGE.

No. 271,322. Patented Jan. 30,1883.

WITNESSES IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY u. Prism Hwum c m. o. c.

lJNITED STATES PATENT rion.

JOHN EASTWOOD, F HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,322, dated January30, 1883,

- Application filed April 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EASTWOOD, of Hillsdale, in the county ofHillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of two panels or sectionsof fence locked together in position for use. Fig. 2 is a view of one ofthe panels or sections. Fig. 3 is a view of one of the panels, showingthe spring locking-bar raised to receive the reverse end of anotherpanel.v

This invention relates to improvements in the class of portable fencesin which one panel or section is so constructed as to pass into anopening left in the end of another panel, and secured to it by a springlocking-bar; and the invention consists in the combination, in aportable fence, of a series of panels, each panel being provided at oneend with anoblong opening, a longitudinal notched spring locking bar,and a lower notched bar or rail, and at the other end with a series ofprojecting rails, the upper and lower ones of which are provided withnotches, whereby the panels or sections of the fence can be easilyconnected together and turned at any desired an gle to each. other, allas will be hereinafter fully described.

To enable-others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow proceed to describe the exact manner in which it is carried out.

In the drawings, A and B represent rails or bars, connected together inany suitable manner, forming the panel or section of a fence. Two of thelongitudinal rails or bars, not extending the whole length of the panel,form in connection with the notched spring lockingbar and the lowernotched rail an oblong opening, G, for receiving the projecting rails ofanother panel, the upper and lower projecting rails having notchesadapted to fit the notches in the locking-bar and lower rail, theprojecting rails of one panel being easily and readily inserted throughthe oblong opening in another panel by simply raising the springlocking-bar D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and which upon being releasedwill resume its natural position and engage with the top notchedprojecting rails, thus securing the two sections described they can beturned at any desired angle to each other without the rails splittingout as easily as it the notches were made square or diagonal, asheretofore in this class offences, and the rails, being notched asshown, form (when thepanels areconnected togeth.er)hinges upon which thesections can be easily and readily turned, so that by unlocking twopanels where they are connected together either of said panels can bereadily turned to form a temporary gate. Each panel or section of thefence is provided with a diagonal brace, H, which, being arranged asshown, covers and holds the spring locking-bar in position. It

will thus be seen that by inserting the projecting end of one panelthrough the oblong opening in another panel, first on one side, thenfrom the other, a continuous fence will be formed; or by inserting eachadditional panel of fence from the same side a circular pen or yard maybe formed. Also, any desirable form of yard or inclosure may be formedby means of my improved construction of panels, and the panels adjustedafter being connected together on uneven ground without danger ofbreaking the lock or unlocking the sections.

1 am aware that portable fences formed by panels, one of which isconstructed to receive the projecting end of another panel, and securedtogether bya notched spring lockingbar, and also by a double latch barand brace, are old, and such I do not desire to claim broadly as myinvention; but

1 claim as my invention- In a portable fence, the series of panels eachof which is provided at one end with an oblong opening, G, thelongitudinal spring locking-bar forming one ofthe rails of said panel,

and provided with a notch on its under side, and the lower notchedrail,D, and at the other end with the series of projecting rails, theupper and lower ones of which are provided with notches. substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EASTWOOD.

Witnesses:

S. D. BrsHoPP, M. MG'INTYRE.

